


Like Calls to Like

by Arctic_comet



Category: Designated Survivor (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fix-It, Romance, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-04-29
Packaged: 2018-10-17 06:40:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10588503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arctic_comet/pseuds/Arctic_comet
Summary: Emily eventually sets out to fix her relationship with Aaron. Multi-chapter. Rated E for sex in later chapters.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely convinced Aaron resigned just because he didn't want to make things worse for Kirkman and because he was angry for being distrusted, but I'm gonna go with that assumption as far as the story goes :)
> 
> Also: Emily is a super difficult character to get into as a writer (you'd think Aaron would be harder, but nope) , but I'll do my best!

Washington definitely wasn't what Emily expected it to be. It was so much more cruel and complicated. Before the Capitol attack she'd never even dreamed of getting involved with anyone with a career in politics, but somehow it had happened and she scolded herself for not guarding her heart better.

Her gut had told her from the beginning that the man who looked at her with such warmth and tenderness couldn't possibly be a willing accessory to treason and mass murder, but at that point there had been no way to be sure. Therefore, the only sensible thing to do had been to try to stay away from him and to keep quiet.

Then Langdon had showed up and cleared Aaron, but instead of taking back his position, he’d resigned. She had understood him, as she’d tried to resign only a short while before. The President didn’t need any extra problems, and Aaron was angry. He was angry with _her_ for not being honest with him and for not trusting him fully, and she didn’t know how to fix it. She’d never been particularly good at apologizing to people, and she was even worse at trusting them and letting them close. So, she’d once again taken the easy way out of the situation and just let him leave. No explanations, no apologies, no nothing. After everything they’d been through, after _she_ ’d kissed _him_. God, it was one of the only times she'd ever made a move on a man and even that had required more than one shot of whiskey.

One of her exes had once told her that she was a cold-hearted bitch, and as she’d walked home late that night from the subway station, she’d agreed with him. A woman capable of vulnerability would’ve thrown herself at Aaron and cried into his shoulder, begging him not to leave. Emily had been that woman once, but not anymore. Her years in D.C had hardened her, as she suspected happened to all people, but especially the women. There were still so many misogynists around, and once she'd taken Aaron for one as well. How wrong she'd been. Maybe she’d become too tough, too cynical to believe in things like love and loyalty. If she was honest with herself, she trusted no one but herself and Kirkman. When you trust nobody, you turn out pretty lonely.

As much as the cynical woman she was now wanted to deny it, Emily knew she owed Aaron. She owed him her job, her confidence to work at the White House, the few very questionable but yet legal political tricks she could now pull with ease. She owed him all of that. Heck, the last words he’d spoken to her before leaving had been words of encouragement, of faith.  _Aaron believed in her._

It was strange no longer having him around all the time. Despite her trust in her own decisions, she couldn't help but wish she had him to disagree with, or- in rare occasions- agree with her decisions. As much as she liked Seth, he just wasn't Aaron. His decision to work for Hookstraten had been a tough pill to swallow at the time, but time had done its work, and she'd begun to understand. She really had never had any right to criticize him for it in the first place, she'd pushed him too far to have any claim on him, but yet it had hurt because deep down, despite herself, she _cared_. Not that anything she did or said could've given that away to him. 

Spring had finally arrived properly and nothing had been sorted out between the two of them. She saw Aaron on a regular basis at work, but he never brought up the issue, and neither did she. For some inexplicable reason he still brought her coffee at times, getting her order right every time. Instead of thanking him, nowadays she usually picked a fight with him when he did that, because it made her feel guilt and regret. Guilt for enjoying her dream job and regret for not being able to know what they could've had. The part of her that was still left of the bright-eyed girl who didn't know anything about the twisted world of politics wouldn't stop nagging at her. _It would've been good, and you know it._ She silenced the thoughts by telling herself that achieving great things always came at a cost, and sometimes the price was steep. Most relationships were temporary, but then again, so were most jobs. And some relationships lasted. 

Sighing, Emily locked her computer and went to talk to Seth about an upcoming briefing, and was somewhat surprised to hear Aaron's voice.

"That's a ridiculous idea, Seth," he sighed.

"You could at least ask her."

"Who says I even want to?" hissed Aaron back, but Emily heard his voice breaking at the end of the question. In order to stop her imagination from running wild, she knocked on the door and pushed it open. The men turned to look at her, both looking immensely guilty.

"Hi," she said. Aaron didn't reply, but nodded at her. 

"Hi. Did you want to talk about the briefing?" asked Seth.

"Yeah."

She was about to speak, but then realized her mistake. Aaron no longer belonged there. He'd been gone for months but sometimes she still forgot it, as did Seth. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence, until Aaron cleared his throat and stood up.

"I'll get going then. See you when I get back," he said, nodding at both of them.

"Where are you going?" she asked, not quite able to suffocate the question. 

"I'm taking a couple of weeks off. Bought a ticket to the Bahamas."

"Wow. I didn't take you were capable of taking time off."

"Things change."

"They do."

"Maybe I used to be more motivated," he admitted, staring at his shoes, a sad smile on his face. 

"Well, have fun," she said, hoping he'd leave already and not make her face her confront her feelings.

"Thanks," he replied, and then he was gone.

She grabbed the chair Aaron had just vacated and sat down. Seth was no longer looking at her, but typing furiously on his computer.

"So, the briefing-" she started, but Seth held up a finger.

"Hold on a minute."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm looking up a ticket for you."

"What ticket?"

"To Nassau."

She laughed out loud.

"I'm not going to Nassau."

"You really should, Emily. For all our sakes. I'm sick and tired of watching this charade. You're both difficult to handle, and it's a hundred times worse when you're not getting along."

"I can't turn back time."

"Then start over."

"How's that even possible?"

"Have you ever taken a chance on a person before? Have you ever taken a proper risk?" asked Seth, his eyes boring into hers.

Emily bit down into her lip. She'd never been big on taking risks. 

"I thought so. How about you try it, just this once?"

"He may not want me there."

Seth scoffed.

"I think that's the least of your worries."

"I can't leave for two weeks."

"You had staff the last time I checked."

"I do."

"They can handle things for a while, and I'll help."

"And asking for two weeks off out of the blue is going to weird out Kirkman."

"You've barely had a single day off since the attack, and you could tell him the truth, too. That you need to set things right with Aaron."

She shook her head. The last thing she needed was for her boss to know.

"Come on, Emily. He's a smart man, he knows how things are between you two. At least in part, and he may have already guessed the parts he doesn't know."

"I don't even know which flight Aaron's taking, or where he's going to stay."

Seth looked at her as if she was nuts.

"You do realize that I _do_ know all those things, don't you?"

Of course he did. When she said nothing, Seth smiled.

"Looks like you're out of excuses."

"I could end up making things worse."

"Trust me, that's impossible at this stage."

"That's not very comforting."

"You can't possibly mess this up, Emily. Now, _go_. I'll get your reservations in order while you talk to Kirkman."

Gritting her teeth, she stood up and left Seth's office. She didn't even make a conscious decision to actually do it, but yet she soon found herself standing outside the Oval Office. 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

"Emily. Have a seat. What can I do for you?"

She hesitated. There was still a chance to back down. _And let another opportunity pass you by._

"I know this comes totally out of the blue and I understand if you say no, but... Could I take a couple of weeks off?"

Her boss frowned in surprise.

"Now?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Yes, Sir."

"Well, you're right about one thing: this does come at the last possible moment. Hope you don't mind me asking, but is everything all right?"

"Everything's fine, Sir. It's just that I could use a break, and there's no acute ongoing crisis, at least not one that I know of..."

"I understand. Go and relax, we'll still be here in two weeks."

"Thank you, sir."

"One more thing before you leave. This can wait until after your vacation, but I've been thinking about what you said last week, about selecting another VP. When you come back, I want you to vet Hookstraten for the position."

"Hookstraten, sir?"

Emily couldn't help it, but everything about that woman irked her. Absolutely everything. Especially the way she sometimes smirked at her knowingly while passing her in the hallways, as if she knew things Emily didn't and would one day use them to hurt her.

"Yeah. I know you think I've lost my mind, but we need unity, Emily, now more than ever. She's a true professional, and has some excellent staff at her disposal."

She could tell he was mostly referring to Aaron.

"I worry about her trustworthiness, sir."

"Oh, in some cases she's absolutely not to be trusted, but I sincerely believe she wants the best for this country. It is possible to work successfully with people who may not share our views, you should know that."

She had no idea what to answer, so she stayed silent.

"The reason I even brought this up now is that I want you to prepare to work with Aaron again. If Hookstraten becomes VP, the two of you are going to have to work as a team again. I know you were capable of doing it before, but things haven't been the same since I made you investigate him. I know it's bad. I can't say I know the details, but I'm very sorry that things have gotten to this point."

"There's no need to be sorry."

"I was pretty sure the two of you could've run the entire Western Hemisphere together," Kirkman continued, letting out a laugh."Do you think you can work together like that again? I know it's a two-way street, but it's easier to try to reason with you, since you still work for me."

She nodded, hoping she could manage to sound more confident than she felt.

"Absolutely, sir."

"Good. Have a great vacation. See you in two weeks."

***

Emily had to scan the crowd at the gate three times before she finally spotted Aaron. Sporting a Capitals cap, a polo shirt and khaki shorts, staring into his tablet, he was barely recognizable. The chair next to his was empty, and he didn't seem to notice her as she sat down.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice low.

She was about to go on the defensive, but realized that he didn't sound angry at all. It was just a question, albeit one she wasn't ready to answer yet. _Baby steps._ Biting back the snarky comeback, she took a deep breath.

"How did you know it was me? You haven't even raised your head from that tablet."

"Your perfume. And I figured Seth might try to talk to you. Honestly, I didn't think he'd manage to convince you to come."

"It was a last-minute decision. You know, I almost didn't recognize you. Do you always travel incognito or is this a special occasion?"

He finally turned to look at her, and to her surprise, he was grinning. It was bright and genuine. It had been a long time since he'd smiled at her like that. _Too long._

"No. This is me," he replied.

As he held her gaze, his eyes soft, she finally felt a flicker of hope. Maybe there was still something she could do. Hopefully they could at least be friends, and the shouting matches would become a thing of the past... Well, that was probably too much to hope for, but at least they could become more rare.

"They're calling our flight," he said, his head swiveling to the gate agents. 

"Right."

Seth had managed to get her a seat next to Aaron, which was a miracle in itself. Emily grabbed her water bottle and a book from her bag before pushing the overhead locker shut. Aaron had already returned his attention to his tablet, but before that he'd removed the cap and now she couldn't stop staring at him. _The hair._ It, along with his clothes, made him look so boyish and approachable, in all respects nothing at all like the Aaron Shore she'd come to know. The one with the mask of indifference that had began to slip whenever he was near her. The Aaron Shore she knew could intimidate just about every single White House intern by simply looking at them, and most of them had been scared to death of making a mistake and having to report to him about it. He scared her too, but not for the same reasons. She must've made a sound because he stopped reading and turned to look at her.

"What?" he asked, obviously amused at her reaction. Okay, so he was definitely still the Aaron Shore she'd come to know. _Smug bastard._

"Nothing," she quipped, not about to give him the satisfaction that he'd somehow affected her, although she suspected he wasn't going to fall for the act. 

After takeoff, she tried to read her book, but after a while her eyes refused to stay open, so she gave up and closed her eyes, leaning into her hand. 

 

***

"Emily... We're almost in Miami. You need to wake up." 

Someone was shaking her shoulder, but she didn't want to wake up yet. The pillow under her cheek was soft and she was under a warm blanket after having slept for less than two hours the night before.

"Emily. Wake up. We still have another plane to catch."

 _A plane?_ Now she cracked one eye open, taking in her surroundings. Of course, she was still on the flight from Reagan to Miami. Yawning, she turned to face Aaron. 

"You sleep like the dead," he told her.

She rolled her eyes at him in response. He must've asked for the pillow and blanket that she was wrapped up in, but she really must've been in a deep sleep not to wake up to that.

"Have you ever been to the Bahamas before?" she asked.

"No."

"Why did you choose it then?"

He shrugged.

"It's warm, easy and not too far."

"You could've gone to visit your family," she suggested, as the plane began to turn to the left over the Everglades, causing Aaron's arm to brush against hers on the armrest. 

"I wanted some time for myself."

"And now I'm here to ruin your plans."

Aaron shook his head.

"No. I'm actually curious to hear the reason you're here."

"You'll find out eventually."

"I hope so."

And Emily was starting to hope she had a stiff drink in her hand. It was one thing to plan on doing something and then actually going through with it. She'd never backed down from a challenge before, but this time she felt insecure, and there was nothing she hated more than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSA: I love Kimble and she's definitely got a surprise or two in her sleeve in this story :P


	3. Chapter 3

In truth, Aaron hadn't been angry in a long while now. The anger he'd felt the day of his resignation had quickly made way to sadness and disappointment. It wasn't that he didn't know why people wouldn't choose to trust him when it came to politics, but he couldn't say he'd ever been suspected of treason before. That hurt, especially coming from people he trusted and admired.

After that, there hadn't really been much for him to lose by working for Hookstraten. His chances with Emily had clearly been ruined already. If she didn't trust him when they were both working for the same man, it didn't matter that she most definitely wouldn't trust him now. You couldn't be in a relationship with someone who didn't trust you, and by now he'd figured that their work would always come between them. She'd never trust him enough to give them a chance.

In many ways he missed working at the White House. He missed his job, he missed Emily, and Seth, and even Kirkman, although he still saw all of them a few times a week. On the other hand, his sudden bout of unemployment had left him with the realization that there was more to life than work. Some things were more important. Now he had a day or two off every week, called his parents more often and got at least six hours of sleep every night.

Emily had taken his new place of employment even worse than he'd expected her to, sometimes seeming to disagree with him just because of who his boss was, deeming every kind gesture or compliment suspicious. Sure, he'd always enjoyed riling her up a little, seeing the fire in her eyes, but the fights they had these days weren't fun, but frustrating and meaningless. He let her have the arguments she so obviously needed, but wondered if finding another job- this time one that wouldn't entail working with her at all- would be the right choice after all. At best their interactions these days were polite but tense, and he couldn't stand it. Things were much more simple for him with Seth and Kirkman, but Emily... He couldn't tell what she was thinking half of the time.

She was tough, and although he liked to think of himself as an expert on masking yourself at work, Emily had him beat cut and dried in that department. Her mask was far more resistant than his had ever been, and by now he'd all but lost hope of her ever letting it fall, at least for him. It bothered him because she was just about everything he could ever want in a woman; she was smart, passionate, resilient, ambitious, beautiful and kept him on his toes. A true equal in every sense. Nothing about her was easy, but he had no interest in easy. Despite his best efforts, he hadn't forgotten the way her lips felt against his, or her little gasp when he'd placed his hands on her waist.

 

As much as he would've loved to believe that her coming with him would be the turning point in their relationship that he was still hoping for, he refused to let himself assume she'd joined him for anything else but a work related reason. What made things interesting was that she was deliberately avoiding answering his question. He'd been planning on two weeks of sun, sleep and scuba-diving, but he couldn't claim he minded having her with him. Remembering the look on her face as she'd stated at his hair made him grin as he turned off the lights in his hotel room that night. Emily was only two rooms away. He was used to her being so close and yet so far at the same time, but the setting was different now. There were no conspiracies or bosses to distract them. Once more, he found it difficult not to have hope that things would work out after all. Somehow. 

***

The next day was sunny and warm, and after a post-breakfast swim Aaron found Emily sitting in a chair, reading a book, merely a few feet from the water, clad in a blue bikini that made him glad he was still in the water. He didn't know when she'd gotten there, but she'd obviously been watching him and grabbed the book in a hurry, as she was holding the paperback upside down. Unable to stop himself, he placed his arms on the edge of the pool and leaned into them, grinning at her.

"Morning," he called out.

"Morning."

"Care for a swim?"

"Nope. Just put on sunscreen."

"That's too bad," he replied, trying not to imagine helping Emily apply the sunscreen. 

"Do you have any plans for today?" she asked, sounding casual as usual.

"No. I'm going diving tomorrow, but I'm all free today." 

"You interested in a drink tonight then?"

"Sure. When?"

"9:30?"

"I'll meet you at the lobby bar."

Things were bound to get interesting. 

***

 

It was hardly the first they drank together and he knew Emily could hold her liquor, but he was starting to worry about the speed of her alcohol intake. He was on his second drink and she was on her _sixth_. It was actually surprising, seeing her do this, as she was usually so sensible and guarded. Her eyes had been roaming over him freely since her fourth drink. When her leg touched his for the first time, he took it for an accident, but then it happened again. And again. Trying to keep his breathing steady, he caught her bare ankle.

"Don't do something you'll regret in the morning. Especially not with me," he hissed.

If she were a little more sober and he knew with at least some certainty that she wouldn't run off again in the morning, he would've welcomed her advances. Even now he couldn't resist caressing the skin of her ankle gently with the pad of his thumb, making her moan. He squeezed his eyes shut to stop the rush of desire taking over his body and dropped her leg.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice slightly slurred.

He sighed. Of course he wasn't sure, but saying no was the right thing to do.

"Yeah," he answered, emptying his glass. He was going to head to bed. _Alone._

"Kirkman wants that your awful boss as VP," she suddenly said, staring into her own glass.

"Hookstraten?"

"Yeah. So we're going to be on the same side again, you and me."

"Right." His stomach dropped.

So _this_ was the reason she'd come. Kirkman had sent her. For work. He really shouldn't have been surprised, but somehow being rejected by her always got to him.

"Where are you going?" she asked, scrambling after him.

He saw her grab the edge of the bar to steady herself.

"I think I'm going to call it a night. You should probably do the same."

"Don't tell me what to do, Aaron," she slurred back.

"I won't, but I'm planning on making sure you get to your room."

"I don't need your help," she grumbled half-heartedly, and he had to reach over to keep her from falling down when she let go of the counter.

His arm wrapped around her waist to keep her upright and she leaned into him with a sigh. It would have been so easy to revel in the feeling of her body against his, how natural it felt, but knowing her true motives for coming was more than enough to ruin the moment.

"Your room's 311, right?"

"Yeah. Let me get the key."

Her efforts at sliding the key card into the slot proved fruitless and he took over, making sure to keep one arm around her as he pushed the door open. She was starting to nod off, almost dozing against his shoulder. He placed her on the bed and pulled the covers over her, leaving a water bottle on the bedside table. At the last minute, he grabbed her key card and returned a couple of minutes later with painkillers, placing them next to the water. Chances were she'd need them in the morning.

"Don't go," she suddenly pleaded quietly, her fingers landing on his arm. _Damn_. He'd thought she was out of it.

"We'll talk in the morning," he promised. They could argue when she was back on her feet, it wouldn't be fair to confront her about anything as long as she could barely stand on her own. 


	4. Chapter 4

When Emily dropped onto the seat across from his at breakfast the next morning, Aaron wasn't sure how to approach the subject of the previous night. _What did she remember?_

"How's your head?" he finally asked.

"Not as bad as you probably think, but it's been better. I haven't had that much to drink since college," she groaned. 

He laughed.

"You'll have to tell me about those times sometime."

Although her eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses, he could tell she was glaring at him.

"Exactly how much do you remember about last night, anyway?"

She hesitated.

"Enough to know that I managed to embarrass myself completely. I'm sorry, and I'd really appreciate it if you we could agree to never mention it again."

"All right, let's agree to that," he replied, his body tensing. Just because she wanted to forget it had happened didn't mean he was going to be able to. 

"Nothing irreversible happened, Emily. Don't sweat it too much. You also told me about Kirkman's VP plans, which I'm guessing was an accident," he continued.

She cringed.

"Yeah, I wasn't supposed to say anything yet."

"I'm not going to call up Hookstraten and tell her, if that's what you're thinking. I came here with the intention of actually taking a break from work and I'm gonna stick to that."

"Thank you," she answered quietly.

"But at least now I know why you're here-" he started, finding it easier to stare at his omelette than her. This was the hard part, not showing too much. "You can tell Kirkman that us working together again won't be an issue. I think your work here's done," he finished, hoping he didn't sound too bitter or disappointed.

When she said nothing, he looked up and saw that she'd removed her glasses and was now furiously rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"What?" he asked.

"Aaron... Kirkman didn't tell me about the whole thing until I'd asked for two weeks off. And I didn't tell you about it because I wanted you to think it's the reason I came here, but because I was drunk and because I  _hate_ that woman."

"Then why did you come here, Emily?" he demanded, more forcefully this time. 

He met her eyes, holding her gaze as she stayed mute, but she kept on swallowing nervously as well as tapping her fingers on her thighs and chewing on her lip. Soon she'd either pick a fight with him and then bolt or confess something.

"I... I know things can't go back to the way they were between us before everything, and I know you're angry-"

"I'm not. Not anymore."

"Well, you _were_ angry. And so was I. But... I came here to find out if maybe we could start over. Personally, I mean."

"You want to forget what happened?"

"In a way, yes. Or I'd like for us to at least move on from all that."

"I'm not opposed to that, but... Can you honestly say that you trust me?" he asked. At the same time he was mentally beating himself for not jumping at the chance straight away, but he had to know what her answer was before letting things get any further. If she didn't have enough faith in him, then it didn't matter if they agreed to move on from the past, as anything they built would still be doomed.

She started to answer, but he held up a hand.

"Don't answer me now, think about it for a while. I need to go now, but if your answer's yes, then come and see me later. I should be back after six tonight."

"Okay."

He forced himself to his feet, knowing this could be the last time he saw her during his vacation. 

"And if your answer's no... No hard feelings, okay? I won't cause you any trouble at work."

She nodded solemnly, meeting his eyes one last time.

***

Under any other circumstances, Aaron would've enjoyed his day in the clear waters, watching the rich marine life. As things were now, he kept on glancing at the clock, dreading the evening. Emily could be well on her way to the airport while he sat in a boat, removing his wetsuit.

He was back at the hotel by 5:30 and showered by 5:50. The clock struck six, and he grabbed a cold beer from the minibar, finding out that sadly there were only four beers in the small fridge. He'd have to venture out eventually. At 6:15, he flipped the TV to ESPN and opened the beer. She wasn't coming. Albeit he hated being wrong, this time he wished he hadn't been right. 

Everything between them had started out as nothing more than a physical attraction, nothing beyond good old-fashioned chemistry, around two years earlier, when Kirkman had become part of Richmond's cabinet. He'd initially underestimated her, but the pull had already been there even back then. Choosing to ignore it had become much more difficult after the attack. Aaron still couldn't pinpoint the exact moment feelings had entered the picture, at least from his side. For the longest time he'd probably been the last guy in Washington that she would've considered dating. In Emily's eyes people were either good or bad and he'd originally taken on the role of a villain in her head, and changing that perception had taken time. He didn't regret pursuing her, even knowing the end result. What he regretted was his timing; he should've made his feelings known sooner. That way they might've had time for more than one kiss and a first date that never happened. 

A knock on the door startled him. According to his watch, it was past seven, so chances were that it was housekeeping and not Emily, but his heart still throbbed full force. 

Against all odds, Emily stood outside his door, looking like she was dressed to impress, her red dress accentuating her narrow waist and bringing out her rosy lips and dark eyes. She still looked anxious, her stance relaxing visibly when he flashed her a smile. 

"Hey," he said.

"Hi. Are you ready to hear my answer?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

She drew in a deep breath. 

"Ever since we met, I've heard a million stories about you. I used to believe in even the worst ones, but then... But then everything changed. We started working together, I got to know you, and I saw things I never expected to see. We'll never operate the same way, but you have principles, and I respect that. You saved my job when you didn't have to, you helped Kirkman even when you didn't believe in him. I never really believed you could've betrayed us like that, but I admit that I wasn't 100% sure. I hated everything about that investigation. I would've been hurt too if I'd been suspected of those things, but it was never personal. I'm standing here right now because I'm going with my gut now, and it tells me that I should trust you, that you've done enough to deserve it. A lot of people would tell me that I'm crazy to get involved with you, but not everything in life makes sense. So yes, I've chosen to trust you."

He was so happy and relieved that he could've kissed her right then and there, but quickly got his urges under control. _Not yet._

"Okay. I don't think there are any Elvis impersonators here tonight, but would you still like to have dinner with me?" he asked.

She smiled.

"I'd like that a lot."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm leaving town for Easter, so unfortunately the next chapter won't be posted until Sunday night :( It should be worth the wait, though!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is VERY smutty, so consider yourselves warned :D

The previous night had not gone according to her plan at all and she had woken up that morning feeling more embarrassed than ever before in her life. The aim had been to take a few drinks to loosen up a bit and then tell him she'd come to try to see if there could still be a chance for them. It wasn't that she wasn't normally capable of having difficult talks, but it was the fact that it was _Aaron Shore_ that made things so hard.

Most people would've told her that he was bad news- hell, she'd told herself that many times- and yet he drew her to him, whether he meant to or not. Instead she'd overestimated her tolerance, not having had a proper lunch definitely playing a part, and then proceeded to tell him about Kirkman's VP plans prematurely as well as throw herself at him. Nothing she'd ever done in college could be compared to this humiliation. Nevertheless, she was a grown woman and hiding from her mistake wouldn't have made things any better. Going to breakfast despite having no appetite had been a good decision. She hadn't been prepared for him to question her trust in him, although in hindsight she should've expected it. Hadn't that always been the biggest reason she'd been reluctant to pursue anything with him?

"Did you mean it when you said you weren't angry anymore?" she asked.

"Yeah. It didn't take me that long to stop being mad, but the whole thing was hard to take, mostly because of the people involved."

"It would've been easier if it hadn't been me."

He nodded.

"Would you have stayed if I hadn't been the one to investigate you?"

"I don't know. I still would've lost my credibility, but I think I would've tried harder to make it work," he admitted.

"We never wanted you to leave."

"I know, although you obviously didn't mind getting the job," he said. He was smiling, but she had to wonder if there was still some bitterness left in him.

"I never wanted to get it that way, but yeah, I was happy."

"Leaving made me realize that although I loved my job, the position itself wasn't even half of the reason I liked it so much. It was the people. Before the attack, I didn't have friends there. Just colleagues, most of whom didn't trust me. I got along with Langdon well enough and I respected him, but he wasn't Kirkman."

"And then Hookstraten offered you a job that'd bring you back to the White House."

"Yeah. I never expected you to like me working for her, but you took it harder than I anticipated."

"I didn't understand it... I mean, _you_ don't like her either."

"True, but I'm learning a lot from her. The way I see it, what you know doesn't define you, but what you decide to use that knowledge for."

She shook her head at him, a half-smile on her lips. 

"I doubt we'll ever agree on some of those things."

"And I'm willing to accept that, if you are," he replied, cocking his head.

There was still so much to learn about him, and she doubted agreeing to disagree was going to be the deal breaker.

"I didn't ever stop to think that maybe you took the job because of us. You never come to see me anymore unless you have to."

"I figured you didn't want to see me. You seemed to think my loyalty was for sale for nothing more than a regular salary, but having you think that after the whole treason mess didn't feel as bad as it otherwise would have."

"The thought may have crossed my mind," she admitted, cringing inwardly. 

"I'm still the same man I was when I worked for Kirkman," he said softly.

"I know," she sighed. She'd been so stupid, blinded by her own pain and ambitions.

When he'd left, she'd convinced herself that any regrets or other negative feelings would be canceled out by finally having her dream job. However, the truth was that Aaron had unfairly lost the job he loved and even more than that. There was no way for her to make things right in that regard.

"Hey, we agreed to move on from it all, didn't we?" he asked, seeing her shoulders sagging, his tone more gentle now.

She shook her head.

"How are you still interested in me?" she huffed, reaching for her wine glass.

His hand covered hers, taking the glass and turning her hand over, lacing his fingers with hers. Not for the first time, she found herself marveling at the fact that the same Aaron who was fully capable of being cut-throat and cruel one moment could be so kind and gentle and respectful with her. The contrast was staggering, and somehow part of his appeal.

"Because I see potential. A _lot_ of it. Wasting it would be criminal, so I'm willing to take the risk."

He only dropped her hand when the waiter returned to take their orders. 

***

Emily's crayfish pasta turned out to be an excellent choice, but the slight evening breeze did little to cool her body as she sat across from Aaron. Nothing had happened yet aside from him taking her hand, but the ache and longing in the bottom of her gut were distracting her from the food, as was the way he kept on glancing at her. She never had sex on the first date, but wasn't it true that they knew each other better than people on their first date generally did?

An attractive but infuriating and ultimately untrustworthy colleague had been easier to ignore when she'd been in a relationship. Her last relationship had been easy, stable and uncomplicated. In other words, everything her involvement with Aaron wasn't. It was natural for relationships to end when you turned down a proposal, and she still maintained that the proposal hadn't happened for the right reasons. If it had, would she have said yes? And would getting engaged have made her immune to the charms of the man sitting across from her who largely remained a mystery to her? She was glad she'd never know the answer for sure.

"Since you already know when and why my last relationship ended, I should know yours, too," she said, trying not to wonder if his hair would feel as soft between her fingers as it looked like.

"I haven't had a girlfriend in three years. She was a kindergarten teacher, so she didn't exactly understand my work or why it took up so much of my time."

She frowned. It was a good reason to break up.

"Three years is a long time." Especially when she couldn't imagine he'd have any trouble finding female company.

He shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess, but I don't often find women who catch my eye," he said, leaning closer to her over the table, his dark eyes glinting.

Emily met him halfway. The kiss was only borderline appropriate for a public place such as a hotel restaurant, but she could tell he was still holding back, even going as far as to pull away slightly when she tried to deepen the contact.

"Do you want to give these people a show, Emily?" he asked, his breath hot against her cheek.

She smirked.

"Maybe I just want to test your self control," she teased back, reaching for his knee under the table.

He groaned.

"We haven't even had dessert yet."

"I can wait all night," she said confidently, knowing it was a lie even before it was out of her mouth, but she enjoyed watching his composure falter. For all the times they didn't see eye-to-eye, this wasn't one of them. This time they both knew exactly what would happen once they left the restaurant. Sex wouldn't solve anything, but for them, it felt like the right next step. She needed him, and wanted the tension between them eased.

"We'll see about that," he replied, leaning close once again to kiss the hollow of her throat.

When he raised his head and grinned at her, she knew her pulse and the goosebumps on her skin had betrayed her. So much for shaking his composure.

"So you think you can beat me when it comes to self control?" he asked, retreating back to his seat.

"No. I _know_ I can."

The game was on.

 ***

It was a question of who would break first, and Emily was determined to win. By the time she was finished with her chocolate cake, she'd more or less successfully managed to ignore Aaron's stares and acted indifferent when he'd offered her a spoonful of his sundae. As good as she knew him to be at reading people and what they wanted, she prided herself in being able to hide her own thoughts from him. If he'd been able to see into her mind, she suspected there would've been little question of her loss. Nevertheless, nothing she'd done had seemed to have an effect on him, either. So they were still even as they left the restaurant and reached his room. 

"Thanks for a fun night, Emily," he said, opening the door. He had to be bluffing.

"You have sauce on your chin," she answered, stalling.

"Really? Where?" he asked, turning around to face her, that arrogant smile back on his face.

"Right... Here," she whispered huskily, before reaching up to swipe the chocolate from his skin with a finger. He gasped at the touch. Not loudly, but it was enough to do her in. Taking his face between her hands, she kissed him, and barely noticed the door slamming shut behind them. 

The men Emily had dated before Aaron could all be described as harmless. Aaron was anything but that. He was more _everything_. More handsome, more stubborn, more intense, more cunning, more dangerous, stronger, smarter. The heady cocktail of emotions he evoked in her was nothing she'd ever experienced before and she wasn't sure if she was thinking any more clearly now than she had the previous night after God knows how many drinks. Her body burned with lust and the pressure between her legs was making her dizzy. He sucked and bit on the skin of her neck and she knew it'd leave a mark. His possessiveness didn't come as a surprise, but he'd soon learn that she could match him in that category too.

She threaded her fingers through his soft curls, her nails scraping his scalp in the process. He groaned in response, leaning into her touch. When he slid his hands under her buttocks and lifted her against the door, she knew they weren't going to make it to the bed, but that was okay. She was sick of waiting anyway. Her dress was bunched up around her waist and she gasped as he tugged on her panties, the flimsy material ripping in half. He looked down, looking stunned, stopping his assault on her neck for the moment.

"Sorry," he mumbled, but she was pretty sure he wasn't actually sorry at all. When she pulled his shirt over his head, he was forced to throw the ruined panties on the floor in order to keep holding onto her.

She couldn't see much in the dark room with only the moon and stars providing light, but the image of him shirtless, wearing nothing but swimming shorts was etched into her mind. The muscles under her hands were undoubtedly impressive for a man who worked as much as Aaron did. Finally, she reached down to undo his pants. He removed one hand from her to help her push them down, along with his boxers. This was it. There would be no stopping after this, and going through with it would change everything. Would it be a good change?

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice strained. She nodded before pulling him in for another kiss.

The time for thinking was over and she stilled as he entered her. It had been a while for her, and he wasn't small, so she focused on breathing, waiting for her body to adjust and for the discomfort to disappear. She moved against him experimentally, testing the fit, and couldn't suppress a moan. He took it as encouragement and started moving, bracing one hand against the door, the other one staying on her hip. Emily wrapped her legs around his waist and let her nails sink into his bare back.

Her lipstick was smeared across his mouth and his neck, his hair sticking up after her fingers, and his eyes were on hers, focused on her as if there was nothing else left in the world to look at, as if he could see beyond what she chose to show him. The moment she came apart took her by surprise, and she made a strangled sound. He slowed down, collapsing against her right after her body shuddered for the last time. She kept her legs around him as he carried her over to the bed and threw himself on the mattress next to her.

"Worth the wait?" he asked, still breathing hard.

She pretended to consider her answer, running a finger down his naked chest until he snagged her by the wrist and brought the hand to his mouth, kissing her palm.

"I think I need a repeat performance to know for sure," she finally said, something catching in her throat in reaction to his tender gesture. 

"You'll have to wait a little while," he laughed.

She decided to get rid of her clothes, but his hand on her back stopped her.

"Let me," he said, reaching behind himself to turn the bedside lamp on.

"I want to see you," he murmured.So she sat up and let him pull down the zipper in the back of her dress.

While the straps fell down her arms and his arms encircled the bare skin of her waist, his mouth was back on her neck, this time the kisses more gentle and lingering. Soon the cool air of the room hit her breasts as he undid her bra and let it fall off into her lap. She gasped when he reached up and cupped them, her head falling back against his shoulder. No matter how hard she tried to resist, she had lost track of time and place by the time he pushed her back to the mattress and began to kiss his way down her body.

Emily was almost ashamed of how easily she'd relinquished control to him, but when he pushed her legs apart and buried his head between them, every thought she had vanished into thin air. She could get back at him later.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Emily opened her eyes, squinting at the sunlight shining directly into her eyes. Her entire body felt stiff and tired, and Aaron's arm was still wrapped around her waist, keeping her pressed against his chest. He was turning out to be a cuddler, which brought a smile to her face. Some things about him were just impossible not to like.

She wasn't sure how long they'd been asleep for since she'd rolled off of him for the last time, but she could sense the change in herself. She was less anxious. Turning around carefully, she watched him sleep. The frown and worry lines she often saw on him at work were nowhere to be found, and the skin of his chin was slightly coarse beneath her exploring fingers. He could use a shave, but she liked the disheveled look on him. Her touch must've roused him from sleep, as he suddenly stretched and yawned.

"Good morning," he muttered.

"Morning."

"Any regrets?"

She pretended to consider her answer.

"No. Although I may have to take that back unless I get food soon."

"We could order room service."

"Sounds like a plan."

 When he turned away from her to order their breakfast, she saw that the crescent-shaped marks made by her nails were still visible on his shoulders and his upper back. Some of them were angry red and looked as if they'd bled at some point.

"I don't mind them," he said, placing the phone back on the bedside table.

"I didn't say I was sorry I made them." 

"You're a wildcat, I like that," he grinned, pressing his forehead against hers. 

"I really am hungry, Aaron," she sighed.

"And I think I could eat half of the contents of this hotel's kitchen. The food will be here in around 15 minutes."

"That's not long enough for what I had in mind."

"Shame. Maybe later, then."

"Maybe."

He rose from the bed, flinching barely noticeably as he straightened his back. At least she wasn't the only one in pain.

"Where are you going?"

"Shower," he said, winking at her.

Emily groaned. _Not. Enough. Time._

She reached for the remote and started flipping through the channels, stopping when saw a familiar figure on the screen. Kimble Hookstraten, addressing some sort of conspiracy theory on how apparently Kirkman's administration was adding a hallucinogen into the water all over the east coast. It was so absurd that she had to laugh out loud, and no matter how much she disliked the woman, she had to applaud her for looking as if she was taking this whole thing seriously.

"Your boss is on TV," she told him, raising her voice over the noise of the shower.

"Which channel?"

"Fox News."

"Ughhh... Turn it off."

"Don't you want to hear what she's saying?"

"No. She's trying to communicate with people who will never listen to reason, no matter what we say. It's a waste of time."

Emily had always believed in people's ability to change and learn, but in this case she agreed with him. Some people wouldn't recognize the truth even if it punched them in the face. Repeatedly.

"Please tell me you're watching something else now," he groaned, walking out of the shower with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. 

"You need to stop doing that, Emily."

"Stop doing what?"

"Licking your lips," he laughed, pulling her into his lap for a kiss. 

*** 

The days passed too fast for Emily's taste, and soon they only had two more days left. Two more days before the reality would invade their little bubble. Could what they'd built in the last two weeks survive in Washington? Things would be different at home. There would be more things to consider and more reasons to stay apart. 

"Emily, what do you think?" he asked over breakfast that morning, interrupting her melancholy thoughts. 

"Sorry, what was the question again?"

"I was thinking we could play tennis today."

"Why not."

"Where did you go just now? In your head, I mean."

She frowned. The last thing she wanted to do was to ruin their last days together.

"It doesn't matter."

"Yeah, it does, because clearly it was nowhere good."

"If you absolutely need to know, I was thinking about what's going to happen when we go home."

"Do you want to talk about it now?"

Emily shook her head.

"No, let's enjoy the time we've still got left." _Before things get more complicated._

He nodded.

"Fine by me."

 ***

"What should we play for?" she asked.

"The winner decides what we do tonight," he suggested right away, making her wonder what he had in mind, because he was obviously planning something. He was _always_ up to something.

"Deal."

"Best of three?"

"Yup!"

The match was fairly even at first, with Aaron winning the first set and her taking the second. The third one was 6-6, but she lost the tiebreaker, cursing when her last forehand ended up just outside the lines. God, she hated losing.

"Good game," he said, shaking her hand formally before planting a quick kiss on her mouth. 

"So. What are we doing tonight?" she asked.

"I'm taking you dancing," he grinned.

"Dancing, huh?"

"I don't know how to play an instrument, but I did take dance lessons."

She laughed as she tried to imagine a younger Aaron at a dance class.

"And here I thought you played soccer."

"I did that too. My mom, she taught lessons on the weekends and insisted on taking me along. She told me it was meant to teach me how to treat a lady right." 

"Did it work?" she asked. She'd always liked hearing stories about Aaron's mom, as they seemed so close. 

"You tell me."

***

Emily had taken ballet classes back in the day, but salsa was so out of her repertoire that it wasn't even funny. Aaron was a good teacher though, and she was a fast learner.

"Relax, Emily. You have to let me lead here," he told her gently, his hands on her hips.

 She took time to observe the other pairs and realized that Aaron was right. Their movements looked much more fluid and easier when the man was leading.

"Easier said than done," she finally muttered.

"I know. That's why I brought you here, so you could learn to let go for a bit. I know that's unheard of for you and I like that about you, but being out of your element isn't always all bad."

She needed a few drinks, but eventually it happened; she stopped thinking and let him direct her moves. The rhythm of the music took over her mind and body and she found herself laughing and smiling.

"I haven't had this much fun in years," she confessed in the taxi, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

They hadn't spent a single night apart since the first time she'd gone into his room, and now she pulled him into hers. Keeping her own room had felt like a good solution at first; a gesture to make all this appear more casual, but in reality it was little more than a waste of money. 

They showered together, and afterward she drifted off to sleep with his heartbeat thundering in her other ear and an NBA playoff game in the other, wistfully acknowledging that they only had one more day left.

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

Aaron couldn't sleep. Long after turning off the TV, he did his best not to move around too much, because clearly Emily had found a comfortable spot, her head on his chest and an arm thrown around him. He tended to think at least two moves ahead at all times, but this time the moves of his opponent were hard to predict. _What were they?_ That really was the million-dollar question that they hadn't touched upon once during their time together, which would be over way too soon. Time was running out, and they were going to have to talk about it, as much as he feared hearing her answer. 

If they kept on seeing each other, it'd have to be disclosed to the President and to Hookstraten. He wasn't going to be in trouble for it, but she could be. A close personal relationship between the new Chief of Staff and someone who had resigned from The White House under shady circumstances would be scrutinized by the press. Emily's allegiance could be questioned now that he was working for leader of the Republican party, and the attacks on her person would be made infinitely worse by her gender. He couldn't help but think that it'd be easier if their roles were reversed. She could end up in an impossible situation, just like he had. Losing Emily would be a disaster for Kirkman's administration. The solution seemed simple: call this nothing but a vacation fling, never tell anyone and forget about it (or at least try to), but he didn't want that. The more time he got to spend with her, the more he wanted. Considering that the country was still recovering from a major terrorist attack, it was selfish, but ever since he'd resigned, he'd been _so lonely,_ despite Seth's efforts to stay in contact.

As he'd agreed to go and work for Hookstraten, he'd reminded himself many times that in Washington you were always alone in the end, that you couldn't trust anyone to have your back, but somehow the words sounded hollow after everything. His time with the Kirkman administration had served as a much-needed reminder that there truly was something real even in the world of politics, something that was worth fighting for. It was so easy to lose focus among all the schemes and endless debts and favors. He'd come to Washington to make a difference, to make the country a better place to live, to be something. What were all those ideals worth if you didn't fight for the same things people all over the country did? He didn't want just any woman, he wanted _her_. If they both wanted the same thing, he'd do anything in his power not to let the reality of Washington separate them.

Emily was already out of bed and dressed when he woke up the next morning. He watched as she stood on the balcony, leaning against the railing, staring out to the sea. Much like his mind, hers was always busy as well, and this time he didn't need to guess what was bothering her. She'd already been about to fall into that hole the day before, but he was glad he'd been able to stop it. There would be no reprieve from it today.

Sighing, he scrambled off the bed and after a quick shower, joined her on the balcony. 

"It's beautiful out here," she said.

"Yeah. Makes it harder to leave."

She nodded.

"So... What happens now?" he asked, his hold on the railing tightening. 

"You're asking me?"

"Yeah. I don't have much to lose here. If you ask me, we can go back and you know... Date," he replied, the last word coming out strained and quiet. They hadn't exactly put a label on this, but as far as he was concerned, that was what they were already doing. The problem was trying not to seem too eager. It'd already be humiliating enough if she decided that what happened in the Bahamas had to stay in the Bahamas. She didn't have to know everything.

"It's been... I don't even know how to describe the last two weeks. I never expected..." her voice trailed off, and he had to turn away from her. He didn't like where this was going.

"I don't want it to end, but I don't know how we can make this work in the real world, Aaron. Especially if the whole thing with Hookstraten becoming VP doesn't work out."

He nodded.

"So, in a nutshell, it's a really bad idea, career-wise. I know you know all this, you've probably gone through more scenarios than I have" she finally sighed.

"Maybe."

"But... I want to be happy. And I don't know if I can forget this."

Suddenly her hand landed on top of his. 

"Do you think we could go back and date, but keep a low profile for now?" she asked.

"Yeah, we can do that, but it's not like anything ever stays secret for long in D.C," he answered, taking her hand between both of his. 

"I just want a chance," she whispered.

"Me, too."

Aaron didn't want to have to sneak around to be with her, but if that was what it took for now, then he'd do it. Hookstraten becoming VP could potentially save them from the scandal or at least alleviate it, as they'd no longer be on opposite sides but officially working together to rebuild the country. He genuinely believed that Kimble would make a good VP for Kirkman, so he'd work hard to make it happen. Emily's arms wrapped around his neck as she stood on tiptoe and kissed him hungrily. She led him back inside the room and pushed him onto his back on the bed. 

 ***

"Does keeping a low profile mean that you won't be spending the night with me?" he asked as he weaved through traffic from the airport that night.

She laughed.

"I need to stop by my place, get some clothes for tomorrow, at least."

"So you're coming?"

"Yeah, but I expect you to provide me with coffee in the morning."

"Deal."


	8. Chapter 8

The bathroom of Aaron's apartment wasn't designed for two people to use simultaneously, but they made do and he enjoyed watching Emily work on her hair and makeup, as well as the feeling of her eyes on him as he showered. 

She glanced at him in the mirror, sighing dramatically.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"As much as I like the whole 'Prince of Darkness' look you always have going on at work, I'm going to miss seeing those curls," she admitted.

He threw his head back and laughed. _Prince of Darkness?_

"Nobody would ever take me seriously if I didn't do this," he replied, reaching down to wash the gel off his hands. 

Emily looked good. Well, she always looked good no matter what she wore, but the combination of the white blouse and the dark grey skirt had to be one of his favorites. She was too busy applying lipstick to notice him stepping behind her, and fell into the sink when he placed a hand on her behind.

"Aaron!" she yelped, laughing.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"I have to go to work, and now I need to start over with the lipstick" she groaned as he kissed her neck.

"Do you have a meeting right away?"

"No, but..."

"Well, then you have enough time for this," he said, slowly sliding his palm under her skirt.

 ***

There was absolutely nothing and nobody that could ruin this day for him, Aaron thought as he strode into the office that morning. He'd just logged into his computer when his boss walked in.

"Welcome back, Aaron. Relaxing vacation, I hope?" she inquired.

"It was, thank you."

"Ready to get back to work, then?"

"Absolutely."

"Good," she said, suddenly giving him a funny look, her eyes narrowing in amusement.

"What?" he asked.

"You have lipstick on your collar," she quipped before disappearing out the door.

Grabbing a handtowel in front of the mirror in the men's room, he was wasn't sure whether to laugh or be embarrassed. There was no way Hookstraten could tell it was Emily's lipstick, but he'd have to do a double check the next time. As he walked back to the office, his phone vibrated.

_What happened??? Emily won't say!_

He smirked at Seth's text and replied.

_You don't want to know._

_But you're good now?_

_Yeah, we're good._

_Congrats, man._

_Thanks._

_I knew it!_

_I didn't say anything!_

It wasn't that telling Seth would be that bad, but the fewer people knew, the better. And if Seth didn't know, he wouldn't have to hide it from Kirkman. The guy was as honest as they came and lying didn't come to him naturally. It was better this way for now.

***

Emily texted him after lunch.

_Did you tell Seth?!_

_No. He guessed it._

_Figured as much. I think he can keep quiet though._

_Me too. Can't stop thinking about this morning, btw._

_Ugh._

_What?_

_Stop trying to distract me from work._

_What? Me? Distracting?_

_You know what I mean. I have a bite mark on my neck, just so you know._

_Sorry._

_You're not sorry._

_Maybe I'm not, but I promise to make it up to you tonight._

_Who says I'm coming over tonight?_

He was about to tell her exactly what he was planning to do to her that night should she decide to come, but had to put his phone down as Hookstraten walked into the office.

"Guess who's being vetted for VP?" she asked, her giddiness obvious.

He raised his eyebrows, hoping he looked adequately surprised at her news.

"Congratulations," he said.

He was well aware of her ambitions of running for president in the next election, and it could be argued that becoming Kirkman's VP wouldn't advance those aspirations, but he wanted to think Kimble was starting to see Kirkman as he had. If she truly believed in Kirkman, she might be satisfied to be his running mate this time around, and only then go for the presidency. 

***

At 10:30 that night Aaron was finally able to settle on his couch with a late-night sandwich and catch a game on TV. There had been no word from Emily after her last text, so he figured she might not show up after all. He'd gotten so used to her presence that sitting alone in his apartment felt strange. Growing more anxious the more he thought about it, he made a decision to call her in the morning, see if he'd done something wrong. After 11, his phone rang.

"Hey."

"Hey. You at home?"

"Yeah. Where are you?"

"On my way, walking down your street as we speak. You wouldn't happen to have anything to eat?"

"You can have half of my sandwich."

She gasped in mock horror.

"What happened to my gourmet dinner?" 

"It's a very good sandwich."

He imagined her rolling her eyes at his response.

"Come on and let me in."

He could heard her shuffling behind his door and pulled it open for her. 

"I believe you mentioned a sandwich," she said, dropping her coat and bag on the floor.

"I don't think that's a proper greeting."

"Fine," she sighed, pulling him down for a quick kiss.

"It's on the coffee table."

"Thank you. I'm starving."

She scooted closer to him on the couch, munching on her sandwich. 

"You know, if you're planning on coming here often in the future, you should take my spare key."

Emily raised her eyebrows, saying nothing. He knew suggesting it was a bit of a risk, but it made practical sense, since their schedules didn't always overlap.

"You could get in even when I'm not here, and when I'm here I wouldn't have to bother to let you in every time," he said, taking a casual tone.

Before long, she nodded off, her head falling against his shoulder. Wrapping an arm around her, he let her sleep until the game was over and only then nudged her awake.

"Let's go to bed."

"Too tired," she mumbled.

"I'll carry you if you don't get up on your own."

The threat made her eyes shoot open.

"No way," she grumbled, scrambling to her feet.

***

He'd left the key on the kitchen counter before going to bed the night before, thinking Emily would take it in the morning if she wanted to. She'd never commented on his suggestion, but the way she'd burrowed into him in her sleep, her legs tangled with his, made him confident. She was already out the door as he got out of the shower, but the key was nowhere to be found.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads-up: there are only two chapters (+ an epilogue) left after this chapter!

A month later Emily walked into Aaron's apartment unusually early after work, only to find a dark-haired young woman sitting on the couch.

"Hello," she started, hesitantly. As the woman turned to face her, Emily recognized her: it was Nadia, Aaron's cousin, who seemed to be more like a little sister to him than merely a cousin. Aaron had warned her that she had a key to his place too, but apparently she usually told about her visits in advance.

Emily herself had thought long and hard before taking the key. His reasons for offering it had made perfect sense, and he hadn't asked for anything in return, but it had still felt like she was making a commitment, even if it was unvoiced and still remained so. Eventually her hand had hovered over the innocent-looking object lying on his kitchen counter that one morning, and after some deep breaths, she'd simply swept the thing into her purse. 

Nadia shot her a quizzical look, but stood up and offered her hand.

"Hi. I'm Nadia," she said, smiling.

"Nice to meet you. I'm-"

"Emily Rhodes."

"Yeah, but how did you know?"

"Oh, I've seen you on the news with the President, and with Aaron before he resigned. Sorry for intruding on your night, I just came here to do my laundry."

"No problem, I don't usually get off work this early anyway."

"I've been trying to be discreet about it, but I've actually spent the last three weeks wondering who Aaron's seeing."

"Really?"

"You've... Ummm... Left some things lying around that I figured weren't Aaron's. Women's underwear, birth control pills, stuff like that," she explained, her cheeks reddening slightly.

Emily cringed a little. Seth already knew about them, and now Nadia. What was she doing anyway, practically living with a man she'd been seeing for less than two months? She'd barely seen her own apartment in weeks, only stopping by to get more clothes a few times a week. This wasn't how she was used to doing things. 

"So I'm guessing you guys are keeping this a secret? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I promise I'll be out of your hair in a few minutes and will then keep on minding my own business."

It was hard not to like Nadia. She was energetic, straightforward, smart and kind. It was no wonder that the congresswoman had taken a liking to her as well. Aaron was right to be proud of her.

Nadia returned with a sack full of clothes and pulled her jacket on.

"I'm happy he's got you. He's been alone too long," she said, opening the door.

Emily didn't know how to respond to that, so she smiled back at the other woman, nodding.

"I'll see you around, Emily," finished Nadia.

"Yeah, definitely. It was nice meeting you."

Aaron peeked inside fifteen minutes later, carrying the Chinese take-out she'd asked him to bring.

"Hey, sorry it took so long. Kimble wouldn't let me off."

"Well, she is having her confirmation hearing tomorrow. Nothing wrong with preparing for it."

"No, but she's surprisingly nervous."

She raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"Kimble Hookstraten? Nervous? Now I've heard it all."

Aaron laughed.

"I know."

"Your cousin just left, by the way."

"Nadia was here?"

"Yup."

"Sorry, she didn't say anything beforehand. Did you talk to her?" he asked, frowning.

"I did, and she knows about us now."

"I really am sorry about that," he said sheepishly.

She sighed, shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter. If everything goes well with Hookstraten, we can probably stop hiding it soon enough anyway."

"So now you're hoping she becomes VP?" he asked, grinning. Aaron believed that Kirkman and Hookstraten made up a perfect Good Cop/Bad Cop team, while she refused to believe that the Republican leader was truly willing to help Kirkman achieve anything. They'd had a heated argument or two about the issue, but had eventually agreed to disagree.

"I didn't say that. I still think Kirkman could do better... But I'm willing to accept his decision and give her the benefit of the doubt for the time being. It helps a little that her future Chief of Staff is a decent man."

"You know she hasn't actually said anything to me about it-"

"I know that, but you and I both know that she will, so let's not kid ourselves here. It's just a matter of time. You're pretty good at what you do, Aaron."

"Only _pretty_ good, huh?" he said, his tone teasing, but she sensed a shade of uncertainty in his voice. Being unemployed for a while must've made him doubt himself, which was strange for a man as confident as Aaron. He'd never been given anything for free, but he'd gotten used to succeeding in Washington. She would've felt like a failure too if she'd been faced by the same fate as he had. They were equally proud and stubborn in that way, and she squeezed his fingers, hoping he'd understand. Aaron was a brilliant political strategist and should never think any less of himself.

She glared at him.

"You know what I mean. I wouldn't want your head to grow any bigger than it already is."

"I've missed working with you, the way we used to," he admitted, suddenly taking her hand in his.

"I've missed it too," she answered, leaning her forehead against his. Sometimes the anxiety over exactly how serious their relationship was starting to become in such a short time made her want to push him away, to ask him to slow down. Then he'd do or say something like this and she could almost physically feel herself falling for him. How he managed to inspire such confidence in her so easily still wasn't clear to her, but she didn't want it to stop. 

With Aaron nothing was simple. He was open about many things, but kept at least just as many things hidden. He always had plans, backup plans, and underlying reasons for doing things. The biggest problem was that even after six weeks, she still didn't possess the courage to ask him about his expectations. 

***

Kimble Hookstraten was sworn in as Vice President another three weeks later, and despite Emily's personal doubts, she felt hopeful as she stood next to Aaron on the stage, observing the ceremony. Hookstraten had predictably named Aaron her Chief of Staff as soon as it became obvious that her vice presidency was going to become reality. His arm brushed against hers, and although to anyone else it would've seemed like an accident, she knew it better, as he stole another glance at her, the side of his mouth turning upward into a small smile. He would be by her side again, in the White House, just as he was supposed to be. It was time to stop hiding.

 


	10. Chapter 10

The first week of Hookstraten's vice presidency was complete mayhem, despite all the preparations they'd done in advance. There were people to instruct, policies to settle and a million questions to answer. Aaron had his own office, but most often they liked to work together in the office that was now Emily's. 

"What is it?" she asked, catching him staring at her, a silly grin on his face.

"Nothing. I just like watching you so focused, biting down on that poor pen. What did it ever do to you anyway?" he teased.

She laughed. He was incorrigible, but it was something she'd never change about him.

"We could see them tomorrow morning, they're both free from 8:00 to 8:30," said Aaron, looking up from his laptop.

"Fine."

With all the work, she'd barely had time to be nervous about telling Kirkman and Hookstraten or what would happen after that, but it was better to get it done sooner rather than later. 

"How do we-" she started, her question interrupted by Aaron's phone ringing. As he picked up, she could make out a female voice on the other end, and once he launched into a frenzied discussion in Spanish, she smiled to herself. 

"Your mom?" she asked when he placed the phone back on the table. Her Spanish may have been embarrassingly bad, but she was confident she'd gotten that part right.

He nodded.

"Yeah. She's turning 60 and having a big party, and she'd like me to come."

"Are you going?"

"I was thinking I might... It's been a while since my last visit. You could come, too. It's in two weeks."

She must've inhaled some of her coffee, causing her to break out in a coughing fit. _He wanted her to go to Texas with him. To see his family._

"They don't even know you're seeing me."

"No, but of course I'll tell them, once we come clean to Kirkman and Hookstraten."

"I have to work that weekend. Of your mom's birthday party, I mean."

"Right. Okay."

"And I think... Maybe we should put this thing on hold before going public."

"This _thing_? You mean us?"

"Yeah."

"Emily, where's this coming from? Is it because I asked you to come to the party with me?"

"No. No. It's that I don't know what you want from me," she said, regretting the words immediately. They were at work. This wasn't the right time.

"What _I_ want from _you_? You're seriously asking me that? That's rich."

"You're clearly not willing to answer my question."

"I'll answer you when you agree to answer that question yourself. I think you're doing this because you don't want to tell anyone about us."

"That is not true."

"I think it is, but I get it. Priorities."

He got up to leave, but just then Seth stuck his head around the door.

"Hey guys," he started, but went quiet after taking one look at them.

"Did I come at a bad time?" he asked.

"No!" they both answered.

"I was just leaving," said Aaron, striding out the door.

"I know this is none of my business, but-"

"You can stop right there, Seth."

"Okay, fine," he replied, raising his hands in defeat. "But I just want to know if you've told the bosses yet?"

"No... I'm not sure if there's anything worth telling them anymore."

"Oh, come on. You'll work it out. I don't know what it is you're fighting about, but he's crazy about you."

She shook her head, hoping Seth would drop the issue. Maybe he was right, and maybe that was what made this so scary to her.

***

She stayed at her own apartment that night, and for three nights after that. He didn't text her, or call her, or some to see her at work for anything else but strictly business. She kept on waiting for him to ask her when she'd come and pick up her things at his place. Like he'd once promised, he gave her no trouble at work, his behavior nothing short of professional the entire time.

Kirkman sent her home that Sunday afternoon, telling her she looked tired and to go and get some sleep. Instead she headed to Aaron's, knowing he liked to go on a run around this time on Sundays. She could get her things in peace. Sure enough, the apartment was empty when she opened the door. All her things were right where she'd left them, as if he'd been waiting for her to come back. This wasn't a good time to get sentimental, she reminded herself. Aaron would probably be home soon and since she didn't know what to say to him, it was better to just pack up and leave. She grabbed her overnight bag and began stuffing her belongings inside.

Months ago, it had been Jack, her ex who had left after she'd turned down his proposal. The breakup had been extremely awkward, but she'd never lain awake for hours on end at night, wondering if he missed her. She'd nearly broken the promise she'd made to herself as a broken-hearted 17-year-old: never cry over a man. Somehow it made her feel guilty that a man she'd dated for a year hadn't made her feel the way Aaron did after only a couple of months.

When she heard the rattling of keys at the door, she quickly zipped her bag, flinging it over her shoulder to ensure a quick exit.

Aaron stopped in his tracks at the sight of her.

"Hey," he greeted quietly.

"Hi. I came for my things."

"Okay."

He didn't look mad, just sad, much like after resigning all those months ago. The thought of their cold farewell back then made her eyes sting.

"I'm sorry for being a jerk the other day," he said.

"Why aren't you angry?" she asked.

"Why would I be? You're not doing anything I wouldn't have done myself a year ago."

"What do you mean?"

"You want to protect your career. I get it. I'm a bad deal."

She frowned. He really believed she was too afraid of the consequences of their relationship to go on with it? She'd already accepted that risk when she'd decided to continue their relationship after the vacation.

"That's not it at all," she insisted.

"Then what is it?"

This was the hard part.

"It's... I feel like I'm not in control anymore. Of anything, including myself."

"Emily..."

"The truth is that you scare me. Being with you scares me, but not because of what people might say about me at work because of it. It may be a part of it, sure, but it's not what I fear the most."

"What is it that you're so scared of about me? Ask me anything, and I'll answer."

"You scare me because I've never been with a man who I know could really hurt me."

"You think I'm going to hurt you?"

"Not really. It's more the thought that you _can_."

"You didn't seem that scared back in Nassau."

"I wasn't sure what to think yet. I didn't know you the way I do now."

"And now you know?"

"Now I know."

He nodded.

"And you've decided you'd rather not risk it?"

The first sob came out as a surprise, even to her, and she buried her head in her hands as a last attempt to stop the collapse from happening, but it wasn't to be. It became worse when Aaron walked up to her and gathered her in his arms.

"Come here," he murmured.

Emily sank against him and let the tears fall. In his arms she didn't have to be strong or prove anything. Her whole life had been a blur after the attack, never seeming to give her time to take it all in. She hadn't shed a single tear over the attack or anything that had taken place after that, and now it seemed that her mind had at last reached its breaking point. Losing people she knew in the attack, then suddenly working at the White House, becoming single again, growing close to Aaron only to lose him, being promoted, and finally reconciling with Aaron in the Bahamas. It was overwhelming and she didn't really know herself which part she was crying over and why it was happening now, but did it even matter? His heartbeat was a steady thump in her ear, and his head came to rest against the top of hers. He said nothing, and eventually she allowed him to take the bag off her shoulder and lead her over to the ouch before wrapping her arms around him.

 

***

She must've fallen asleep at some point because the next time she opened her eyes, it was dark and she was lying in bed, pleasantly warmed by Aaron's body behind her, curved around her protectively.

God, she'd been such a mess.

"Aaron? Are you awake?" she whispered.

"Sort of," he replied groggily.

"I'm sorry about all the crying."

"It's okay. It happens. I'm glad you stayed."

"Me too... I want to go with you to Texas."

"Really? You do?"

"Yeah. I'm curious to meet your mother."

"Does this mean you won't run from me?"

"I don't like backing down from challenges."

"There's the Emily Rhodes I know." She could hear the smile in his voice, and then felt it on her mouth as he kissed her soundly, slowly moving from her lips to her jaw and neck.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to tell you guys, but this is the last chapter of this fic :( Stay tuned for the epilogue!

For a few days Aaron had been sure he'd lost her, that she'd chosen her job over their relationship. It wasn't a choice he ever wanted her to have to make, but these were the cards they'd been dealt. They would've never met anyway if it wasn't for Washington. You win some, and you lose some. At the moment he was still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that she was asleep beside him and he'd get to introduce her to his family soon.

The truth was simple: he loved her, but was she ready to hear that?

 

***

"How are we supposed to do this?" she whispered, matching his steps in the hallway of the West Wing.

"Don't look at me. I don't usually discuss my private matters with my boss."

She released a desperate sigh.

"You don't think we could just have Seth write a letter, or a speech for us to give them?"

"That's not a bad idea, but no."

"This is going to be the most awkward discussion of my life," she grumbled.

He smiled a little at that. She was too easy to tease.

"I thought that was the one you had with me the morning after you hit on me in the Bahamas," he teased.

"Don't remind me, Aaron."

He stopped in front of the Oval Office and took her by the shoulders.

"It's going to be okay," he promised. Somehow it would be, no matter what he had to do to achieve it.

She nodded.

"What did you two want to discuss?" asked Hookstraten, looking at them expectantly.

"There's something that may cause questions, and we want you to be aware of it before the press finds out," started Emily.

"Well, let's hear it, then. I'm assuming we're not talking about a national disaster here."

Aaron laughed nervously. 

"No, definitely not," he answered.

"We're seeing each other," blurted Emily.

Kirkman's mouth opened and then closed again.

"Wow," he said, letting out a disbelieving laugh. "That's great news."

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised, but what you do with your free time is none of my business," said Hookstraten, seeming much less rattled by the news than Kirkman.

"Naturally this won't affect our work in any way whatsoever," assured Aaron. 

"And if there are any questions from the press, we'll handle things with Seth."

"Good. You have my full support," said the President, and Aaron couldn't help but feel even more respect for the man. He knew his opinion mattered to Emily, and having him take this well must've been a relief for her. Not that he'd thought Kirkman didn't like him personally, but he knew he hadn't always come across as trustworthy. 

"Thank you, sir," he said, shaking Kirkman's hand. 

***

"Are you glad we did it?"

"Yeah. Now it doesn't matter who knows."

"I think it went pretty well."

"It did. Hookstraten seemed to know already, though."

"She did. I don't know how."

"It's because you're not as great of an actor as you'd like to think."

He laughed.

"How do you know it was _my_ behavior that gave it away?"

"Because I never ever let anything show."

"Maybe that's just it. You're both strong-willed, powerful women. She knows how to read you."

Emily scoffed.

"We're nothing alike."

"Take it as a compliment."

"That I'm like Kimble Hookstraten?"

"That you're a smarter, prettier and nicer version of her?"

She considered his words.

"I guess I could live with that."

***

They met Nadia at the airport the following Saturday morning.

"Good to see you again, Emily," she said, enveloping her into a warm hug. Nadia hadn't let him hear the end of it after meeting her for the first time. She was totally in awe of Emily.

"Good to see you, too."

"Still loving your job?" he asked his cousin.

"Yeah. It's better than the one you started at," joked Nadia.

He left the two women alone to buy some water and snacks for the flight, and found them in deep conversation when he returned. 

"So, have you scared Emily to death already with stories about our family?" he asked. 

Nadia rolled her eyes at him.

"You'll be fine," she told Emily.

She would be, but he still hoped his mom and aunt wouldn't get too pushy.

The closer they got to Texas, the more nervous he grew. It wasn't about what his family would think about Emily, but about what she'd think about them and of _him_ afterward. There wasn't much to see in the small town he was from, and his extended family had had its share of people get on the wrong side of the law.

"Is there something I should know before we get there? Like your dad, for example. You never talk about him," said Emily, apparently reading his mind.

"My dad... He's... Difficult. He likes his liquor. He wasn't always around when I was younger, but now that he's older and sicker, he's there. My mom looks after him. He's not a bad guy, he's just..." He didn't like talking about his dad, but she had to know what was waiting for her. Not that he expected his dad to question Emily the way his mother surely would.

"I get it, Aaron. You don't have to say more than you'd like to," she replied, laying her hand on top of his. Grateful for her understanding, he placed a hand on her jaw and tilted her head up to kiss her.

  ***

The party was at full swing soon enough, and Aaron got dragged away from Emily by his cousin Luis. Trying to keep an eye on her across the room, he cringed when he saw his mother and aunt Clara approach her. Fortunately, Nadia must've seen the same thing, as she appeared at Emily's side within seconds.

"You think your mama's going to scare her away?" asked Luis, nodding toward the four women.

Aaron feigned a laugh, shaking his head."

"No. Emily's pretty fearless," he replied. It was true, but if there was anything that was bound to make her uncomfortable, it would be his mother asking her about grandchildren. Not that he hated the thought of potentially having kids with Emily one day, but it was way too soon to even entertain the idea.

"She's really happy for you, you know. Your mom." said his cousin.

"I know." His mom often went overboard, but she didn't do it out of malice. If it wasn't for her, he would've never attended college, not to mention ended up working in the the White House.

Emily didn't look too fazed over dinner, but there would be no chance to talk to her in private until later. 

"More meat, Emilia?" asked his mother, offering a scoopful of well-seasoned beef.

"Yes, please, Mrs. Shore," she replied, her smile polite.

"I already told you to call me Maria," berated his mother, but he could see the crinkles in the corners of her eyes. It was all good.

Emily raised her eyebrows when his mom turned away to speak to her sister.

" _Emilia_?" she mouthed. He tried not to laugh at her expression.

"Let it slide. She likes you," he replied, squeezing her hand.

"She sure likes asking me questions. I feel like I'm being vetted for something," she admitted.

"She can be intimidating."

"Kind of like someone else I know."

 ***

That night, Aaron took out a spare blanket and pillow, making himself a bed on the couch. His mother had given Emily his old room. They were adults and the whole thing was ridiculous, but his mom was old-fashioned in some ways. Not that it would stop him from going to her later on. After having set everything up in the living room, he climbed the stairs. Emily still had the lights on, and he found her standing in front of the bookshelf, her fingers grazing his trophies.

"Admiring my achievements, I see," he said.

"They're an interesting mix for sure. Debate team and captain of the soccer team. Not too bad."

"What did you do in high school yourself?"

"Debate team. Model U.N. The orchestra."

"Right. The piano."

"Right... So, did you come to say goodnight?" she asked, biting into her lip to stop herself from bursting into laughter.

"Yeah," he said, winking at her. 

After a quick kiss, he left the room and returned downstairs to wait. God, he felt like a teenager again.

 

***

"You're late," she said as he slipped under the covers an hour and a half later.

"I wasn't aware we were on a schedule."

"I expected you here at least a half an hour ago."

"Well, maybe I can make it up to you. Or are you going to kick me out of my own bed?"

"That depends."

"On what?"

"Whether you can keep your hands to yourself," she said, and before he had time to reply, she'd flipped him onto his back.

"You're a cruel woman, Emily," he moaned, allowing her to undress him.

***

Goodbyes were always hard for him, but with his mom they'd always been particularly difficult. She deserved so much more than she got, and rarely accepted anything from him. 

"Everything okay?" asked Emily, when he barely spoke during the drive to the airport.

"Yeah. It's always hard with her, but I'll be fine," he told her.

On the flight, Emily looked focused on whatever she was listening to, and out of curiosity he removed one of her earbuds to listen in. It was a Spanish lesson.

"You're learning Spanish?"

He was truly flattered by her effort. Despite never really bringing up his heritage in D.C, it still mattered. His family mattered, and by wanting to learn Spanish, she was showing him that his family mattered to her as well.

"Yeah. I can't stand it when people talk about me when I'm around but use a language I can't understand. You and your mother are the worst."

He grinned.

"It was nothing bad, I swear."

"Still. Next time you won't have your secret language anymore."

There was going to be a next time, then. On impulse, he decided to tell her.

" _Te quiero_. You know what that means, right?" 

She turned to face him, her mouth hanging half open at his confession. _Please, say something_.

Then she nodded, before leaning closer on the seat to whisper in his ear.

"I love you, too."

 


	12. Epilogue

Emily felt the first real contraction soon after noon on Election Day. She breathed through it, grinding her teeth, her hand clenching around her phone as she walked. Not tonight, she begged. The baby wasn't due for another three weeks, and she'd hoped she could make it at least until the day after the election. That could still happen though, as these things tended to take time. There was no need to tell Aaron, or anyone else for that matter.

Her situation grew gradually worse as the pain gradually intensified over the next few hours, culminating with her water breaking in the bathroom. Okay. _Okay_. She had to get to the hospital. Maybe she should've seen this coming, after all the baby had been moving less over the last couple of days, but she'd chalked it up to him no longer having enough space and ignored it, since the number of movements she felt was still well in the normal range.

Her hands shook as she texted Aaron.

_Come meet me in the back._

Somehow she managed to drag herself back into the room where the entire campaign team was currently residing. She couldn't even stand straight anymore, the pain in her belly and back getting to be more than just simply uncomfortable. Aaron was pushing his way through the room to her, but people kept on stopping him. After what felt like minutes, he finally reached her, his eyes already wide with worry.

"You're having contractions?" he asked, his hand landing on her shoulder.

She nodded.

"Yeah, and my water just broke."

He swallowed nervously.

"Okay. Okay. I'm taking you to the hospital," he said, clearly planning on taking control of the situation. The problem was that this was out of their control.

"You should stay. It's Election Day, Aaron, someone has to be here," she told him.

He glared at her.

"The entire staff is here, Emily. This is important, they'll manage without us," he argued.

"The baby may not be out until sometime tomorrow," she reminded him.

"And that's why I'm supposed to stay here and do exactly what? Watch you give birth on Skype?"

"Fine," she groaned, another wave of pain coursing through her. This probably wasn't the right time to bicker anyway.

"I'll text Seth from the car, let's go."

The walk to the car wasn't going well. She was slow and had to keep on stopping to catch her breath, while Aaron was pushing her ahead, his hand at the small of her back. They were already in the parking lot when she finally had enough.

"Stop dragging me!" she hissed.

Relinquishing his hold, he leaned down to look her in the eye, running his hand through his hair.

"I'm so sorry, baby," he sighed. "I'm really trying not to panic here. Look, you can wait here while I get the car," he admitted, his voice softening. 

"No!" she groaned, grabbing his arm in pain.

"Don't leave me alone. Please," she nearly begged. Hookstraten was in St. Louis that day, and the original plan had been for Aaron to join her, but he'd insisted on staying put, just in case something happened. At the moment she could've kissed him for that. No matter how much she'd read about childbirth and how prepared she was _in theory_ , she was still scared.

"Okay. I won't. I really don't want to deliver this baby, so I need to do this," he murmured, right before moving to scoop her up into his arms. Under normal circumstances she would've argued that she could walk on her own, but now this didn't seem like such a bad idea. 

***

Her son let out his first cry at 3:27 AM. Daniel Aaron Shore, with a head full of black hair and eyes as dark as midnight. His wary gaze seeming to wonder what he'd gotten himself into. For the longest time Emily had believed that being an aunt to her sisters' children would be enough for her, that there would never be a right time for her to have a child of her own, but things had changed. Plenty of career women had kids after all, even in politics. If you waited for the perfect time, you'd have to wait forever. 

The warm, slightly squirming bundle in her arms was nothing short of amazing. Their perfect little boy. He was red and wrinkled, but yet his facial features were easily recognizable. He was going to grow into a very handsome man.

Aaron leaned down to kiss the baby's head. A sense of gratitude filled her. He was her best friend, her partner in crime. Her husband of 11 months. The most infuriating and appealing man she'd ever met. The father of her son.

"He looks like you," she told him, sighing.

He shrugged.

"Maybe a little," he replied, his voice hoarse.

She knew the results of the election were in by now, but they could wait. Asking Aaron to check the results now would be a sacrilege, so she passed the baby over to him and watched them instead. 

"They like skin contact, right?" he asked, placing the baby under his shirt.

The sight made her heart skip a beat, even though she was dead tired. She was lucky.

"Yeah, that's right," she mumbled, unable to keep her eyes focused anymore.

***

"Did a gift shop throw up in here?" she asked later upon waking up. The room was full to the brim with an assortment of large batches of flower, stuffed animals and colorful balloons.

Aaron chuckled. He had dark circles under his eyes, his shirt was rumpled and there was no salvaging his hair, but he was still holding their son and looked happier than she'd ever seen him before. She made a mental note to make him go home and shower soon.

"I sent a few texts, and they just started pouring in. The only thing here I'm responsible for is _this_ ," he replied, handing her a rectangular box.

She flipped the lid open, finding a simple golden bracelet. A closer look revealed three sets of engraved initials, and she felt her eyes welling up with tears. _Damn hormones._

"I ordered that some time ago, and had them deliver it here this morning."

"It's beautiful, thank you."

As she slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, she couldn't help but notice that there was plenty of empty space left for further engravings. Aaron Shore, thinking ahead, as usual.

"What time is it, anyway?" the urgency about the election results was suddenly back.

Aaron carefully positioned the baby on one arm before taking a look at his watch.

"8:20 AM."

"Did we win? I know you know. And where's my phone?"

"I'll give it to you, if you take our son for a second," he answered.

He settled the baby into her arms before digging for her phone. Before he had a chance to hand it to her, Daniel let out a wail.

"Is he hungry?"

"It's been over four hours since you fed him."

Sure enough, the newborn latched on as soon as she could get her shirt open. She caressed his chubby little cheek and saw his eyes droop closed in pleasure. He was going to fall asleep at her breast.

"So?" she asked impatiently. 

He sat back down and wrapped an arm around her before pulling her into a tender kiss.

"We got four more years."

She grinned back at him. That was all she needed to know at this stage. There would be time for details later. It took some maneuvering, but she managed to find a comfortable position against his side, his arm around her shoulders. There were few certainties in Washington, but she knew that no matter where life would take them four years from now, they'd be all right. Together they would endure anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and for all the kind feedback you've given me :) I'll be back with more Emron when inspiration hits me again!


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